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Think Bike video

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...and yet the CAR driver was prosecuted and sentenced for causing death by careless driving...
...Judge said it was the car driver's actions which caused the accident...
...car driver's fault then...!!??

I assume the Judge was a motorcyclist..........:dk:
 
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I was in a car crash similar to what happened in that video. I was doing 50mph and a car from the opposite direction was turning right, across my path.

He didn't see me at all, failed to give way and I basically T boned him. I walked away with no injuries. His passenger, a 17 year old girl, had a broken pelvis, leg, arm and collar bone. The driver broke his arm.

The police said to me that my speed was no factor in the accident. He said the other driver was at complete fault. He was prosecuted for dangerous driving, even though they suffered 100% of the injuries, the law basically came down on his failure to anticipate and take the junction correctly. I was fully compensated and no charge raised against myself - even though I was in a 40mph zone.

I note the police said regarding the biker's speed in the above video was of course excessive but still not a blame point. Regardless, the rider was being reckless and sure did contribute to his own death, but the car driver had a duty to observe the situation and take action accordingly.

So where do the Police draw the line......obviously not 100mph, maybe 150mph? 175mph? More?

There comes a point where the gap you see from the car drivers perspective is absolutely safe to make the turn........but who can judge an oncoming dot of a bike doing 100mph +++?
 
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I simply cant see, how the car driver is to blame??

So he would see the rider approaching, but at that point the motorcycle would be several hundreds of meters away. How long would it take to make a turn, across one lane of traffic? 2, maybe 3 seconds??

At 97mph, the rider was covering about 50 yards a second, so to cover 200 yards, it would take him about 4 seconds.

At 60 mph, he would need approximately 6.5 seconds to cover the same distance. That is 2.5 seconds more.

2.5 seconds that would most probably save his life.

Unfortunately, when riding a bike, a lot of us loose ability of reasonable thinking (myself included). Whatever speed you are doing, never seems good enough, with the urge to keep pushing.

The rider was at fault, nobody can deny that. He did however pay the ultimate price - his life :(

Why the judge penalised the driver is beyond me, as if it wasn't bad enough they will have to live knowing that motorcyclist lost their live, purely by coincidence of them being in the wrong place, at the wrong time :(
 
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Inquest hears how motorcyclist David Holmes was travelling at 97 miles per hour down the A47 at Honingham when he crashed with a turning car - News - Eastern Daily Press - Mobile

A motorcyclist travelling at 97 miles per hour down one of Norfolk’s busiest roads died when he crashed with a turning car.

David Holmes, 38, was riding his silver Yamaha towards Norwich from King’s Lynn on June 8 last year when he crashed with a Renault Clio travelling in the opposite direction, an inquest heard yesterday.

Mr Holmes, a former North Walsham High School and Paston College pupil, had been at a bike meeting in King’s Lynn and was making his way back along the A47 to his home in Sprowston.

The inquest heard the Clio had taken the correct position in the road to turn at a crossroads as the Yamaha travelling in the opposite direction went to overtake.

As the gaps between the two vehicles closed, the Clio had turned right across the path of the motorcycle and Mr Holmes was thrown from his bike into a nearby hedgerow.

There was a digital recording of Mr Holmes’ journey from King’s Lynn.

Speaking at yesterday’s inquest, PC Graham Brooks said both motorists would have been in each other’s available view for seven seconds before impact.

PC Brooks said: “The average speed of the motorcycle was almost 97 miles an hour, well above the 60 mile per hour limit.”

He said the footage showed Mr Holmes had made no obvious acknowledgement of his speed and showed a disregard for his own safety.

He said: “If the Yamaha had been driving at 60 miles per hour the collision could have been avoided.”

PC Brooks said there was no reason why the driver of the Clio, Benjamin Austin, had failed to see Mr Holmes approaching on his bike.

He said: “Witnesses behind Mr Austin say they had seen it and were aware of its presence.”

Austin pleaded guilty in April to causing death by careless driving, admitting he had not seen Mr Holmes.

Assistant coroner Johanna Thompson said Mr Holmes had lost control and collided with the Clio.

Emergency services were called and attempts were made to revive him but he was confirmed dead at the scene.

Ms Thompson said: “Mr Holmes sadly died as a result of a road traffic collision. I offer my sympathy to his family, it must be very difficult.”

Speaking outside the inquest yesterday, Mr Holmes’ sister Emma said he was still very sadly missed.

And his mother Bren said: “We are pleased the investigation is over, it has been over a year since he died.”

Would you like to pay tribute to a loved one? Email [email protected]
 
There comes a point where the gap you see from the car drivers perspective is absolutely safe to make the turn........but who can judge an oncoming dot of a bike doing 100mph +++?

Quite...it must be a bit like having a tennis ball blasted at your windscreen by a top class player...but without warning it's coming...

IMHO, the car driver was poorly advised to plead guilty. I would not have done, would you?
 
The motorbike having the headlight on wouldn't help as it distorts the distance covered.

Unfortunately the biker got his just deserts.

Before you all get on your high horses, yes I have seen a biker die, as we were trying to keep him alive...
That one was far more shocking than this one as He was 17 years old and whacked a parked 4*4 right in front of his Father.
 
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Unfortunately the biker got his just deserts.[/QUOTE]

Are you mentaly challenged, or just a total w****r?
 
Unfortunately the biker got his just deserts.

Are you mentaly challenged, or just st a total w****r?[/QUOTE]

Thanks for your observation. The biker regularly rode at well over the seed limit and safe speed.
It was just a matter of time.
 
I simply cant see, how the car driver is to blame??

IMHO, the car driver was poorly advised to plead guilty. I would not have done, would you?
You've both watched a video clip and concluded that the car driver bore no responsibility, yet a Court which had the benefit of considering all the evidence decided otherwise. Furthermore, the sentence passed down suggests that the Judge thought there was a high degree of culpability on the part of th Clio driver. But what would he know?

I agree that, based on the video clip, the rider failed to properly assess road hazards and drove at a speed that was inappropriate. However, drivers of the vehicles behind the Clio saw the motorcycle and were aware of its presence so Mr Austin was careless to make the turn when he did.
 
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